Chapter 86: Return To Emerald Honey
Half a month later, Xilutiya once again cultivated Dew Prayer Method to the third stage, then advanced to Emerald Honey.
With her prior experience, she relearned it exceptionally quickly, even gaining deeper insights.
After recovering to First Order Emerald Honey, she spent another half a month relearning Branch Combing Method and fusing it with Dew Prayer Method, condensing the occupation Gardener Apprentice.
For learning Flower Blooming Technique, she once again sought guidance from Madam Fran.
“This one is indeed hard to learn. I took nearly three months to master it back then, which was already genius-level among my peers.” Madam Fran indicated that this wasn’t Xilutiya’s problem.
“Originally, I thought you’d study it in December, and with my guidance, you’d catch up by January or February, achieving the first stage of Flower Blooming Technique. Paired with Fire Cloud Orchid, that would be enough to handle Iona.”
“But accidents are always hard to predict.” Madam Fran said with a hint of regret.
“With your current strength, paired with Tree Jade Spirit Sword, you can easily handle Suolin, Mike, and the others.”
“But facing ‘Blazing Sun’ Iona, you’re still a bit short and can’t guarantee victory.”
“I inquired with Heide, and he told me that Iona started drinking the formulated ‘Blazing Sun’ secret medicine a month ago to accelerate her cultivation. She probably wants to learn a new ‘Blazing Sun’ Nature Ability, but outsiders don’t know what it is specifically.”
Three months? Xilutiya tilted her head in confusion.
She felt that taking a week to preliminarily master it was already very slow, but she hadn’t expected Madam Fran to say it took three months to preliminarily master it. So how had she learned it back then?
Could it be that she had truly excellently inherited her mother’s talent in gardening and learned faster than everyone else?
“I’ll try again.” The maiden couldn’t directly tell the madam that she had actually learned it much faster than she had back then.
“Mm, no need to be too discouraged. This is the Tree Jade Spirit Sword you wanted earlier; I’ve already commissioned a craftsman to prepare it for you.” Madam Fran had Lining bring out a rectangular wooden box, revealing the transparent, jade-like longsword inside.
【Tree Jade Spirit Sword】（First Order Excellent）: It can well accommodate Emerald Honey Nature Power. After infusing Emerald Honey, it makes the sword body sharp and sturdy, repairs nicks and bends, has excellent attack power and exceptional impact resistance, greatly preventing cracking and breaking.
“For the time being, practice wielding Garden Sword Technique with this sword. If you can withstand three minutes of Lining’s rapid attacks, you can also easily block against Iona.” Madam Fran lightly shook her folding fan.
“No problem.” Xilutiya replied expectantly.
Finally, it was time to put it to use. She had been practicing sword technique constantly for these past few months; she looked at her mastered skills column.
『Basic Sword Technique Lv.5』『Military Sword Technique Lv.5』『Garden Sword Technique Lv.4』……
The battles in the Shadow World those few days had successfully transformed Basic Sword Technique, stepping into the Lv.5 stage, and Military Sword Technique as well.
She took out the jade-like longsword and gripped it with one hand.
Xilutiya closed her eyes to sense its structure, combing through the resin patterns and delicate particles within it as if using Branch Combing Method to tend to flowers and grass, making the sword blade straight and its edge even sharper.
Then she tried swinging the sword, her body moving with the longsword, slowly adapting to its weight and feel.
……
Half an hour later, she gripped the sword facing the log stump in front of her, slashing down. An emerald color arc blade followed her slender waist’s rotation, flashing into view.
A faint sound came from where the sword blade chopped into the log. Faint fluorescence appeared on the sword blade, penetrating the entire log with unparalleled sharpness, splitting it in two.
Sheathing the sword, Xilutiya’s eyelids fluttered slightly as she carefully observed the cut and fracture surface, recalling her earlier actions.
It seemed she could still improve her posture and angle a bit more for even smoother execution.
……
Three days later, Xilutiya and Lining sparred in the open space in the flower field.
The jade wood-like longsword slashed, clashing with the black sword in Lining’s hand, producing crisp sounds and tiny sparks. Then the two turned back again, repeatedly crisscrossing.
Since both were using Garden Sword Technique and Lining had held back some of her power, without any miracle-creating forceful clashes, their exchange temporarily reached a stalemate.
Lining’s greatest speed advantage, after being prohibited from using Swift Shadow Footwork and activating Breathing Technique, relied only on 【Agile Body Lv.4】 to fight Xilutiya and couldn’t overwhelm her. Moreover, after Xilutiya’s Blood Law advancement that time, although the Fate Card’s Blood Law Nature was eliminated, part of the physique enhancement effect was permanently retained.
Their exchanges grew increasingly intense, with some flowers and grass severed by glancing sword blades, grass leaves flying, pale green sap exposed to the air, emitting waves of plant fragrance.
Twelve minutes later, Lining lowered her sword, and Xilutiya opposite her also slowly came to a stop.
“Do you feel tired?” Lining looked at the maiden opposite her, who only had sweat on her forehead.
“A little.” The maiden carefully wiped her forehead with her sleeve and continued gripping the longsword tightly.
“I’ll continue.”
“That’s enough for today.” Lining shook her head slightly.
“Miss Tiya, actually, your current combat intensity is something ordinary First Order Blood Law couldn’t sustain at all.” She saw this maiden keeping up with her speed using Breathing Technique the whole time, and even with brief moments of panting rest midway, she had at least circulated it for 6 minutes.
Most First Order Blood Law couldn’t achieve such a feat.
Sheathing her sword and also helping Xilutiya wipe her sweat, Lining rarely asked curiously.
“Miss Tiya, you should know what the Shadow World is like and have learned some of the rules of the Secluded Forest. Why do you still yearn for that place?” She knew that many children of great families were unwilling to enter that dangerous place.
“Well…” Xilutiya truly couldn’t explain the anticipation and excitement in her heart for the moment.
“If I have to say what’s truly in my heart, it’s probably out of fear?” She was standing under the tree shade in the breeze now, feeling much more refreshed and comfortable.
“Fear?” Lining was even more puzzled.
“Yes, Lining, have you ever had that kind of experience? You could go to vast places, meet more people and things, and enjoy a more wonderful life.”
“But because of your own timidity and giving up, you ultimately missed such an opportunity.”
“I used to always think the future had endless possibilities and that past mistakes could be made up for, but I discovered that’s not the case.” Xilutiya tilted her head, combing her messy hair neatly.
“Childhood companions will slowly grow up and part ways, familiar family members will age day by day.”
“Even if I return to the place where I lived as a child, those people from back then won’t still be there.”
“To retain many cherished and liked things, I must seize the present time and that one chance.”
“Indeed, opportunities come more than once, but next time they arise, will I still have today’s leeway and lightness?”
“I’m very afraid of missing many precious people and things again, so I want to work harder during this time.” Tying up her neatly combed hair, this maiden lightly shook her flowing silver hair, her clear voice echoing in the gentle breeze.
